Editor,
My name is Suzannie Roder, that Hungarian-born woman who has lived in the U.S. for 61 years. I like to tell you that my family defected from Hungary in 1956 from Communist persecution. I was 15. My Mom, brother and I came to the U.S.A. One reason was freedom of speech.
Ironically, this is my first time needing to use my freedom of speech to call your attention to the Music Park I live across the street from, where the crochets were removed.
Although crochets are beautiful, it did upset me when I heard the city is paying $300 each and replacing the stolen ones, plus more.
I owned my little cottage 31 years. In the early ‘90s, the city bought the land now known as Hillside Park and parking lot. In 1995, I left town and returned in spring of 2002. Hwy. 23 was newly paved and a park created across the street. Kathy Harrison was mayor. The park was beautiful, full of flowers and plants. Kirby Murray was in charge of Public Works.
A year later rock walls were built around gardens. Jodie was gardening here for about a year. The tall, bald John worked for about a year. First Jodie left. Then John left. Then Kirby left. 2004 or 5 was the last time this sweet garden had a professional gardener.
Since 2004 or 5 this park has been unmanaged by the owner, the city. Just who should be responsible for hiring a gardener? Kirby paid going rate to two gardeners, since then the city has been asking for volunteers.
I was the first volunteer. I transplanted perennials from my garden to one of the round beds. Pat Lujan was another volunteer, he spent a lot of his own money to improve another bed.
The sprinkler system was failing. Someone tried to fix it but failed, so Public Works shut the water off for the next two years so we could not even hand water.
Homeowners of E.S., if you neglected your landscaping in front of your house, E.S. would tell you to clean it up. If you did not comply you would be financially punished for neglecting your property.
This Music Park got a lot of money spent on it but in 14 years it never got a professional gardener.
I have been upset about this for a long time. No one in the E.S. office of importance found my complaint worthy. I think taxpayers want this park to be as beautiful as the others.
Suzannie Roder